Annual Conference - Los Angeles

monday
august 6, 2007
Nancy D. Lewis, Metro New York Regional Advisor


Allyn Johnston	Marla Frazee

On Monday, August 6, 2007, attendees spent the last day of the conference focused on books--picture books, reading books as writers, diversity in books, the perfect book, and the poetry found in all books. Editor Allyn Johnston and author/illustrator Marla Frazee seriously discussed the making of picture books while sharing entertaining information about the picture books they have made. Every department in a publishing house is involved in making a picture book competitive in today's market. This can wreak havoc with the creative process. Frazee admits it can be a challenge for her to respond thoughtfully to everyone, while continuing to trust her intuition. Frazee and Johnston agreed that they must be true to their own hearts when making decisions, in order for a picture book to connect to children. Children do not need to be taught how to read the pictures of a picture book, but perhaps writers should be taught how to read children's books.

Kirby Larson, the author of the 2007 Newbery Honor Book, Hattie Big Sky, recommends reading as a writer. Writers should ask questions as they read. For example, does the story have a memorable opening line? Are there at least two plot lines? How is the problem resolved? The knowledge gained from reading as a writer will be reflected in the writer's future stories.

Writers are often told to write what they know. Award-winning author Lisa Yee suggests that they also write what they want to write about it. In Yee's first book her main character, Millicent Min, is Chinese American, but that is just who the character is, not what the book is about. It is important not to classify a book on what the protagonist looks like. This denies the reader the option of interpreting the story. Yee believes that race and nationality should not limit what a writer writes about any more than it would limit what the writer reads. However, when writing about a different race, the writer must get it right.

Five editors, Emma Dryden, Rachel Griffiths, Julie Strauss-Gabel, Allyn Johnston, and Dinah Stevenson, also discussed getting it right as they answered the question: What makes a perfect book? Editors want a good story that grabs them from the beginning, has a wonderful unfolding that carries them on to the end, and has a perfectly satisfying conclusion. The perfect book has consistency, honesty, rhythm, a unique point of view, and a character they want to spend time with. It is ambitious in plotting and in emotional goals. In addition, attention has been given to each word as carefully as if the author were writing a poem.

Poet/author/editor Lee Bennett Hopkins encouraged everyone to look more closely at poetry and at the poetry in all books. Poetry has changed over the decades, just as children have changed. But even though it changes, the power of poetry in poems, prose, and art can be felt in the heart. Deep inside, all writers and all illustrators are poets. So, pass the poetry, please.

This year, in addition to the numerous hour-long workshop sessions, there was also a four-session master class on poetry and a two-session workshop on creating a series. The conference ended with an autograph party and a dessert buffet. A constant buzz echoed through the room as participants shared notes, discussed the workshops they attended, and promised to keep in touch.